Renal Artery Aneurysm: Causes, Types, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment

Renal Artery Aneurysm is a disease of renal artery which results following weakness in the wall of the artery. The weakness of arterial wall causes protrusion or aneurysm bulging outward. In several cases at the time of diagnosis dilation of renal artery is twice or larger in size when compared with normal arterial lumen. Renal arterial aneurysm may be asymptomatic or in some instances cause a variety of symptoms. In this article, we will read about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of Renal Artery Aneurysm.

How Do We Define Renal Artery Aneurysm?

Renal Artery Aneurysm can be described as a dilated section of the renal artery, which becomes almost twice its normal size.

Renal Artery aneurysm or Pseudoaneurysms can be symptomatic as well as asymptomatic.

Symptomatic Renal Artery Aneurysm or pseudoaneurysm is symptomatic because of hypertension, abdominal pain, blood in the urine and renal infarction.1

Asymptomatic Renal Artery Aneurysm usually is benign but there is always a chance that it may rupture as it grows in size.

Asymptomatic Renal Artery Aneurysm is silent weakness of the renal artery and bulging of arterial wall may eventually rupture.

Asymptomatic renal artery aneurysm is often incidentally diagnosed following MRI or CT study of the abdomen.

Bleeding may be secondary to tear of arterial mucosal layer or rupture of intra parenchymal aneurysm.

Frank blood suggests rupture of aneurysm within arterial lumen.

Diagnosis of Asymptomatic Renal Artery Aneurysm

Most Renal Artery Aneurysm (RAAs) are asymptomatic

Incidental Finding- Renal Artery Aneurysm is found during investigation of other intra-abdominal symptomatic diseases.

Image studies assist in diagnosis of Renal Artery Aneurysm (RAA)

Computed tomography (CT)

Duplex ultrasonography

Angiography

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)

Diagnosis of Renal Artery Aneurysm

Majority of Renal Artery Aneurysms are found incidentally when imaging is done to rule out other pathological conditions of the kidneys. The imaging performed is usually a CT scan or an MRI of the abdomen and/or pelvis. If an aneurysm gets significantly enlarged, then it may be detected with a Renal Duplex Ultrasound.